As always, if you see something I missed, please speak up in comments. Thanks.
…Adding… If you were wondering why that judicial remap bill took so long…
Rep. Jonathan Carroll (Northbrook), Rep. Daniel Didech (Buffalo Grove), Rep. Joyce Mason (Gurnee), Rep. Rita Mayfield (Waukegan), Rep. Bob Morgan (Deerfield), and Rep. Sam Yingling (Grayslake) released the following statement:
The Lake County Democratic House Delegation is proud to announce that we successfully negotiated historic judicial maps that will for the first time bring real diversity to the Lake County courts. For too long, our community has been deprived of truly equitable representation at the judicial branch of government. As soon as this year, we expect to see the first two minority judges elected in Lake County history. This only happened because of our dedication to building productive working relationships with all of our colleagues in Springfield, and our commitment to ensuring that every single person in Lake County had a voice in our state’s Capitol.
…Adding… The House has canceled next week’s session. Senate President Harmon told members earlier to not expect to return next week.
Following close contact Tuesday with a state employee who tested positive for COVID-19, Governor JB Pritzker will work remotely out of an abundance of caution. Experts recommend limiting contact after exposure if possible. With the Omicron variant spreading across the state, the governor is taking extra precautions to prevent the spread of the virus.
The governor tested negative for COVID-19 as recently as this morning and is fully vaccinated and boosted against COVID-19. The state continues to urge residents stay home when sick or after close contact with someone with COVID-19.
The governor will be taking meetings remotely through Sunday.
Individuals can visit http://www.vaccines.gov to find a nearby location to receive a vaccine or booster dose. Testing locations can be found at https://dph.illinois.gov/covid19/testing.html, including information on the days and hours for free Community-based Testing Sites.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) does not require quarantine for individuals who are vaccinated and boosted, but does encourage limiting interactions when possible and practicable. The CDC also recommends those who are a close contact to remain vigilant with mask wearing in public settings.
Senate GOP is using this attendance issue to protest the Democrats’ judicial maps and technical changes to the updated election law, not to mention the ongoing “Zoom legislature” that’s going on its third year with rules that allow video conference calls and remote voting.
I’ve been asking for a statement from Leader McConchie explaining why he’s doing this for well over an hour.
* Just before noon, after hearing multiple rumors of a lack of a quorum, I asked the Senate Republicans how many of their members were at the Capitol and their spokesperson said this…
Right now, only Leader McConchie is in the Capitol.
The Senate Democrats were clearly short on their attendance. The chamber was supposed to convene at 11 o’clock, but that was moved back to 2 o’clcock while they tried to convince members to get their rears to town. As long as the Republicans stayed out of the building, they could stop a quorum.
* It seems clear that the Republicans are quite upset with the way the subcircuit remap bill is being jammed through. And Leader McConchie had this to say after the bill was debated in Senate Executive Committee this afternoon…
I will just say that I’m, again deeply disappointed at the redistricting process on a number of levels. I will say mostly in regards to the lack of transparency in regards to this process, and I mean, this is something that not only have I raised, but also the courts have raised, also government groups have raised on multiple levels. I just think it is counterproductive to I’ll say small d democratic process. At the end of the day, our goal needs to be for the people of this state to have faith in government. And I would say that the manner in which this has been done, as well as many other things, seems to cause people to not have that faith. And so, at some point, I hope that we’ll be able to figure out the mechanism and the majority will actually welcome a robust debate and full transparency in regards to anything that we do here in this building.
Anyway, the Senate Democrats are holding a caucus meeting at 2 o’clock, so we should know more soon.
There’s also been a delay in getting SHIELD covid test results back for several members, I’m told (but that was from a House member).
*** UPDATE 1 *** Senate President Don Harmon just told his members during caucus that they have 29 Democrats in Springfield, with a couple more driving down. That would give them a quorum, but two members have issues and can’t be on the floor (you can probably guess what that is). So, we’ll see what happens next.
*** UPDATE 2 *** I guess he doesn’t believe what Harmon told his members…
The current situation indicates that the Senate Democrats do not have of a quorum of their own members at this time. While the situation unfolds, here is a statement from Leader McConchie:
“Senate Republicans continue to stand up for democracy as they have throughout the entire redistricting process. Unfortunately, Democrats have clearly had only one thing in mind and that is power at all costs, even at the expense of democracy. As was stated today in committee, partisanship was a factor in drawing the sub circuit maps. Our caucus will not assist in any effort to corrupt our judicial system through partisan gerrymandering. If the Democrats want a power grab of our courts, they can do it on their own. The judicial branch, above all, should be held to a higher standard than this sort of politicization.”
*** UPDATE 3 *** The House Republicans were off the floor during the attendance roll call. But the Democrats had 62 votes. They have a quorum…
Republican Rep. Mark Batinick then walked onto the floor and requested a Republican caucus for an hour. They’ll be back in action sometime after 4 o’clock.
*** UPDATE 4 *** Senate now has a quorum. Several members were also allowed to participate remotely, including Sen. Bailey.
Right now, even as we speak, factions of the Republican Party are trying to handpick the ‘yes people’ that they want to put into office. There’s a lot of good people out there that have decided to run and they’re being discouraged, borderline bribed, whatever you want to call it, not to run. And this has got to be exposed and talked about as well because these days of Illinois governance where we’ve came from, where we’ve been, what we’ve been doing and why we are here has got to end.
We keep hearing the talk about a slate coming up of Republican governor, lieutenant governor and all the way down the line. Friends, this is nonsense. And you’re going to be able to see right through it. Whenever you see a liberal-minded governor candidate pop up from the Illinois Republican Party and then you see maybe someone to the right or to the left of them. That’s why I chose Stephanie Trussell to be my running mate. Because Stephanie Trussell is rock solid. She stands up, she speaks out for what she believes in and she will not waver. These people coming up from this slate, they’re going to be bought and paid for candidates and friends we cannot allow that anymore in the state of Illinois. So make sure to speak with your voice now when you see these people and make sure to speak up with your vote later. Please join our team.
Just sayin’ but Trussell most definitely wavered on Donald Trump, going from 110 percent opposition to support.
On the Republican side, a political action committee with support from billionaire Ken Griffin is reportedly backing former U.S. attorney John Milhiser. […]
Griffin’s potential involvement has little to do with the secretary of state office. Griffin wants to defeat Gov. JB Pritzker, and if he can’t do it this year, the Citadel CEO may want to put Milhiser in a strong position to run for governor in four years.
For now, Giannoulias and Milhiser face primary contests, so fundraising is far from over. Their opponents all have uphill battles to beef up their campaign accounts.
Um, “little to do with the secretary of state office”? One could say that about other candidates, too. Anybody think Giannoulias will be content to be SoS for 20 years? Team Grif may indeed be setting up Milhiser for a future bid for even higher office, but that would require winning the race in November. And, more to the point, the people running this experiment despise Giannoulias from their time running the Mark Kirk US Senate campaign. They were obviously very intent on finding a candidate to make a stark contrast with their planned attack on Giannoulias.
A 36-year-old child protection specialist with the Department of Children and Family Services was stabbed to death while performing a home visit in Thayer on Tuesday afternoon. The Sangamon County Coroner’s office performed an autopsy on Wednesday morning, and plans to identify the woman after completing the autopsy.
Six children, ages 1 to 7 years old, were present in the home in the 300 block of West Elm Street, according to Sangamon County Sheriff Jack Campbell. Officers investigated the stabbing in the small rural town just after 4 p.m. on Tuesday.
Police officers from Pawnee, Divernon, Auburn, and deputies from the Sangamon County Sheriff’s Office all responded to the scene and had to force their way inside the home where they found the victim’s body, but no sign of the suspect.
Later that night, Decatur police took 32-year-old Benjamin Reed into custody in connection with the stabbing. Officers located him at a hospital in Decatur where he was seeking medical treatment for a minor wound. Sangamon county detectives traveled to Decatur and interviewed Reed about the incident. Reed was due in court for a bond hearing Wednesday morning.
Approximately 15 minutes later arriving officers noticed something that appeared to be blood near the door of the home.
Once they were inside they found the body of a 36-year-old woman.
A search of the home helped authorities identify Reed as the possible suspect.
*** UPDATE 1 *** Marc D. Smith, Director of DCFS…
The Department of Children and Family Services is deeply saddened by the tragic death of our colleague, Deidre Silas. Our most heartfelt condolences, thoughts and prayers are with her family during this very difficult time. Social work is more than just a job, it is a calling. Deidre responded to this call and dedicated herself to the children, families and communities she served, and we will be forever grateful for her work. She was an incredible person, and her brightness and positivity will be missed not only by her family and friends, but also her second family at DCFS.
*** UPDATE 2 *** AFSCME Council 31 Executive Director Roberta Lynch…
“We are heartbroken at the loss of Illinois Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) investigator and AFSCME member Deidre Silas of Springfield, murdered Tuesday while responding to a report of children in danger.
“The perpetrator of this unspeakable crime must be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.
“Deidre dedicated her career to helping young people. Prior to joining DCFS in August 2021 she worked in behavioral health and for more than seven years with the Department of Juvenile Justice where she was a union steward.
“This tragedy is a stark reminder that frontline DCFS employees like Deidre do demanding, dangerous and essential jobs every day, often despite inadequate resources and tremendous stress.
“AFSCME will carefully study the facts of this incident as they emerge and press for any necessary changes to DCFS operations. One death in the line of service is too many.
“Our union is providing support to Deidre’s coworkers to help them process this trauma and aid their grieving.
“The hearts and thoughts of every AFSCME member are with Deidre’s loved ones, especially her children, in the wake of their profound and senseless loss. In her name we rededicate ourselves to our vigilant advocacy to improve workplace safety for all.”
*** UPDATE 3 *** Gov. JB Pritzker…
“Today, the State of Illinois mourns the loss of Deidre Silas, a DCFS caseworker and a hero, taken from us in the line of duty. There is no higher calling than the work to keep children and families safe and Deidre lived that value every single day,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “Our most vulnerable are safer because she chose to serve. I can think of no more profound legacy. MK and I send our deepest condolences to her colleagues at DCFS, her family, and all who loved her.”
* Illinois Collaboration on Youth…
The entire child welfare community mourns the tragic death of Diedra Silas, who was killed yesterday while trying to protect children at risk. We are heartbroken that her commitment to children’s safety has cost her life, and left her own two children motherless. We will keep Ms. Silas and all who loved her in our hearts and thoughts.
* Comptroller Susana Mendoza…
Today is a day for everyone in Illinois to stand with the selfless workers at the Department of Children and Family Services who give so much of themselves to keep our children safe. My deepest sympathies and prayers go out to the family, friends and co-workers of Deidre Silas, killed as she checked in on children who she cared so deeply about. She gave voice to children who needed a hero to protect them. May she rest in peace in all of God’s glory.
* Lt. Governor Juliana Stratton…
“Today, our Illinois family mourns the loss of DCFS caseworker Deidre Silas, who was killed on the job while trying to make a difference. She was a brave, essential worker dedicated to helping children, their families, and their communities,” said Lt. Governor Juliana Stratton. “Our state is a better place because of Deidre Silas. My family and I are sending our prayers and condolences to her family, DCFS coworkers, and everyone whose life she touched.”
* Senate Republican Leader Dan McConchie watched in horror as events unfolded on January 6th last year. He was moved to write an op-ed that was published in the Sun-Times the following day under the headline “The Republican Party must find its way back home.” Here it is…
Along with the rest of our nation, today the Republican Party stands at a crossroads. There is no denying that the GOP that opposed slavery, sent President Abraham Lincoln to the White House and was the catalyst for granting women the right to vote has lost its way.
On Wednesday, I watched in horror as domestic terrorists stormed our nation’s Capitol, threatened the lives of our democratically elected representatives and vandalized our sacred ground. I was devastated to see the most striking symbol of division — the Confederate flag — paraded through our Capitol’s hallowed halls.
In helping foment current national divisions, there is no longer any doubt that our Republican president has abdicated the principles of freedom, law and order and a democratic process that has for so long enabled the United States to be the leader of the free world. We have never seen such a breach of law and order in the seat of our hallowed republic.
Unlike so many citizens of other countries, I have never before had to question whether my president was inciting violence or sedition. It is up to us to defend our country against lawlessness and those who would tear down the core values upon which our democracy has been built.
This riotous activity could understandably cause an instinctual reaction to abandon the party claimed by the president and the people who put him in the position to abuse his power and encourage this chaos. But, to those who want to write the Republicans off forever, I implore you to reconsider.
Wednesday’s attack vividly illustrates that what America needs most right now is reunification around the principles and values that have made us the leader of the free world. And we are not now, nor should we ever be, a single-party system. We require the checks, balances and discourse of a two-party system to be a strong and free nation.
While we should never abandon our values, beliefs or advocacy, we must stop perceiving the opposition party as our enemy. We are all equals, dedicated to participating in the political process that is essential to maintaining our status as a great nation.
And our state needs the millions of Illinoisans who voted for President Donald Trump in November, just as we need the millions who voted for President-elect Joe Biden, to work together for the common good. We need every citizen, from every corner of the state, and every background to work together to solve our state’s problems by empowering the people rather than the political elite or the well-connected.
Now is not the time to tear down — it is the time to rebuild. The Republican party is not, and has never been, one person. It is a collection of values such as liberty, freedom of expression, freedom of worship and economic opportunity for all. Here in Illinois, the GOP is centered around rooting out the corruption that festers in the halls of our government and restoring the public’s faith in our representative democracy. It is this shared value system and dedication that will be the cornerstone of our renewal.
As with all sorrowful crises, this moment carries with it an opportunity of tremendous magnitude for our nation and the Republican Party. But the opportunity is meaningless unless we seize it.
Let’s come together as a new GOP that has learned from its past and seeks to build a brighter future for all of those we hold so dear.
* McConchie has released this statement ahead of tomorrow’s one-year anniversary…
In the year since the devastating attack on our nation’s Capitol, I am sadly reminded of the divisive political culture that Americans have come to expect. However, we can once again become the American people that respect and value one another, no matter our differences.
As I stated following last year’s attack, ‘We need every citizen, from every corner of the state, and every background to work together to solve our state’s problems by empowering the people rather than the political elite or the well-connected.’
I still believe that strongly today and will continue to work to ensure our democratic system operates in a manner that values all perspectives and ensures all voices are heard.
…Adding… US Rep. Kinzinger…
I will continue to say what few others in my party have the courage to say. As we near the anniversary of Jan 6 we must reflect on the failures that lead to that day. It’s time for leaders to lead. To prove we can be better. My message: https://t.co/IR27ysZNvqpic.twitter.com/ExtkXjTMVX
With cases across the state and within the district surging, CPS reported 35,590 tests were completed between Dec. 26 and Jan. 1, but 24,843 were ruled “invalid,” according to data posted on the district’s website. […]
CPS has encouraged parents to get their students tested for COVID-19 over winter break, with the district distributing about 150,000 take-home test kits to schools in communities hit hard by the pandemic. […]
The deadline to return those kits was originally set for Dec. 28, but was extended to Dec. 30 after parents and the Chicago Teachers Union reported overflowing drop boxes that left some families scrambling.
So, out of 150,000 tests, CPS winds up with just 10,747 valid results? That’s about 7 percent. CPS non-charter enrollment is 290,000 kids. So, those valid results represented about 3.7 percent of all CPS students.
Chicago Public Schools classes are canceled Wednesday as the Chicago Teachers Union voted to refuse in-person work, defying district plans because of post-holidays COVID-19 concerns.
The cancellation came despite a last-minute proposal from city leaders that introduced improved testing and safety measures but wasn’t enough to avoid upending in-person schooling for about 290,000 students at non-charter schools exactly 12 months after another CPS-CTU fight over pandemic safety measures left families in limbo for weeks.
Even remote learning is not an option for some students at a growing number of suburban schools, where the spike in COVID-19 cases this week has sidelined teachers and staff, suspending classroom instruction amid a critical statewide shortfall of school employees.
At Elgin-based Community Unit School District 46 — the second largest school district in Illinois — officials announced that five of its 57 schools were closed Tuesday because of staffing shortages, which unlike previous classroom shutdowns, does not include pivoting to online instruction. […]
Staffing shortages due to COVID-19 also forced officials at Niles Township School District 219 to halt their plans to resume in-person, classroom instruction this week, and instead, the district will move to a remote learning, adaptive pause through Jan. 14. […]
Staffing shortages across New Lenox-based Lincoln-Way Community High School District 210 also prompted officials to close buildings, and switch to online instruction through Friday.
After a fall semester of relative normalcy across much of the United States, Covid-19 made itself felt on Monday in school districts nationwide.
A vast majority of U.S. public schools appeared to be operating as planned this week, including those in New York City, the country’s largest district. But the spread of the highly contagious Omicron variant, along with labor and testing shortages, has led to a growing number of educational disruptions.
Districts in Detroit, Milwaukee, Cleveland and Newark were among those announcing that their schools would switch to remote learning for periods lasting from a few days to several weeks.
*** UPDATE *** Press release…
Senator Darren Bailey Releases Statement in response to Chicago Teachers Union Voting to Not Teach Students in Classrooms
“The Chicago Teachers Union is out of control, and Pritzker needs to stand up and demand in-person education for our children or work with CPS to find teachers who want to teach our kids and ensure they don’t fall behind.”
Bailey continued, “Our children are not political pawns, and their education should not be held hostage by big, politically motivated unions who despise parental involvement in education. When J.B. Pritzker shut our schools down, our students fell behind.
Schools across the nation are attending in-person with masks optional; there is no reason for this. It’s time to end the nonsense and ensure our schools prioritize our children again. As your next Governor, I’ll always stand up for parents and students. I’ll fight to remove the extreme policies from classrooms, and I will remove Pritzker’s mandates and restore local control. We must improve education and prepare our children to chase their dreams and accomplish their next step.”
Democrat candidate for Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias finished the recent end-of-the-year fundraising quarter strong with more than $4 million in his campaign fund, he campaign announced today.
Giannoulias, the former Illinois State Treasurer who is seeking the Democratic nomination for the statewide office, reported raising more than approximately $655,575 during the fourth quarter that ended December 31, increasing the current total in his campaign fund to approximately $4,025,000 million on hand after expenses.
“I’m proud to have received such a strong showing of support from Illinoisians who want to modernize the office and make it responsive to their needs, health and safety concerns and busy schedules,” Giannoulias said. “Our fundraising total shows that our message is resonating with Illinoisians who share our priorities and expect action when it comes to a government that works better for everyone by improving access and delivering services faster, easier and more conveniently for them.”
In addition to his campaign’s fundraising success, Giannoulias has outlined a series of policy initiatives his administration would undertake that address issues of statewide concern, including: protecting voter rights and making it easier to register and vote; strengthening ethics reforms among government officials and lobbyists; increasing opportunities for women and minority business owners establish and grow their businesses; improving the State’s library system to provide more equity and access; and reducing recidivism by easing the transition for ex-offenders to successfully reintegrate into society.
Since launching his bid for Secretary of State a year ago, Giannoulias has received endorsements from a broad array of Democrats representing more than 200 elected leaders, organized labor and political groups, including the Cook County Democratic Party and the Southern Illinois Democratic County Chairs’ Association.
Chicago City Clerk Anna Valencia has about $820,000 on hand, Ald. David Moore, about $105,000, and Dowell has $520,000. Should she run for federal office, Dowell could return those funds and then see them donated back for a congressional race.
Republican Dan Brady, who’s been endorsed by party leaders across the state, has nearly $300,000 after announcing his bid just six weeks ago.
The surprise decision of Rep. Bobby Rush, D-Ill., to not run for a 16th term sparked a chain reaction Tuesday, with Ald. Pat Dowell (3rd) on the verge of dropping her bid for secretary of state and switching to a House run, the Chicago Sun-Times has learned.
Dowell told the Sun-Times she will soon decide — it could come within a day or so — whether she will make the switch.
“I am seriously considering a pivot from the secretary of state race to the congressional seat that would be opened by Bobby Rush’s retirement,” she said.
*** UPDATE *** From Pat Dowell…
First, I want to recognize the numerous contributions of Congressman Bobby Rush in his lifetime of service to further civil rights and protect underserved communities, particularly those of color. Congressman Rush has led the fight for racial justice and inspired many.
After careful consideration and many conversations with family and supporters, I am announcing that I will run for Congress in Illinois’ 1st District. Congressman Rush has created a legacy of fighting for others that I will strive to honor and uphold. I am grateful for the support people have given me in my run for Secretary of State. Recent events, both here in Illinois and across the country, have led me to decide to make this run for Congress.
In Congress, I will work every day to ensure Chicago and all the communities of the 1st district receive their fair share of federal resources, safeguard voting rights and access, be a strong voice for gun control, protect Social Secuirty and Medicare, and provide healthcare for all.
* David Moore…
In less than a week, petitions will start circulating for candidates to get on the ballot for the June 28 primary election. As we see in the secretary of state’s race to replace the retiring Jesse White, nothing is constant except change. Alderman Pat Dowell’s decision to end her bid for secretary of state and run for congress changes the race significantly.
I am the only candidate in the secretary of state’s race who circulated petitions for candidate White to run for secretary of state in 1997. Although he had served as a state legislator and Cook County Recorder of Deeds, he did not receive the party’s endorsement.
I believed then, as now that candidate White was the right person for the job—given the office was mired in scandal and corruption. His long service has underscored the need to keep the secretary of state’s office a “servant’s seat,” driven by service to Illinois constituents and not by political ambition.
My record of standing with working families is unassailable, both as a private citizen and elected official. I will build on White’s rich legacy and run the office with great integrity and character while professionally conducting the business of secretary of state, as I stated in my announcement speech on the campus of Western Illinois University in Macomb nearly eight months ago.
Two years ahead of schedule, Illinois Comptroller Susana A. Mendoza has made the final $302 million payment on a $2 billion loan the state took out in 2020 to cover COVID-19 expenses. It’s estimated the early pay-back of the loan will save Illinois taxpayers $82 million in interest.
Governor J.B. Pritzker, Comptroller Mendoza, House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch and Senate President Don Harmon announced an agreement in May to use the state’s strong expected revenues to pay off the loan from the U.S. Federal Reserve’s Municipal Liquidity Facility (MLF) early, saving the interest money.
Before the start of this fiscal year, the Comptroller was able to pay half of the loan in June. No federal stimulus money was used for repayment – just regular state revenues.
“With this early repayment, we take another important step toward restoring fiscal stability and predictability to Illinois,” Comptroller Mendoza said. “I can’t stand seeing taxpayer money wasted on interest – that’s why paying off this loan early was so important for me.”
“Illinois used to be known for kicking the can down the road, but today we’re restoring fiscal stability,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “Paying back this loan ahead of schedule achieves a level of fiscal prudence not seen in our state for decades. I applaud Comptroller Mendoza and our partners in the General Assembly for not only building fiscal stability, but saving millions of taxpayer dollars along the way.”
“We promised steady stewardship even in uncertain times, and this keeps that promise,” said House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch. “Just a few years ago, we had a bill backlog of $17 billion. Today, we are paying off our debts early, saving taxpayers millions of dollars, receiving our first credit ratings increases in decades and proving we don’t have to balance our budget on the backs of working families.”
“I shudder to think where we would have been without these resources to keep our economy afloat,” said State Senate President Don Harmon. “It’s a testament to the resilience of the people and businesses of Illinois and the responsible financial actions we’ve taken as a state that we have bounced back so quickly and are now able to pay it off early.”
“Fiscal responsibility is absolutely vital for Illinois’ future, and paying our debts early is a strong sign of how seriously we are taking that obligation,” said House Majority Leader and Chief Budgeteer Greg Harris. “However, while we have made significant progress putting Illinois on sound financial footing, there is still work to do. I’m confident steps such as these will build a strong fiscal foundation for years to come.”
The loan was scheduled to be repaid in three installments by December 2023. Illinois’ revenues, especially corporate income tax and sales tax receipts, came in ahead of projections. Comptroller Mendoza used effective cash management strategies to put the state in a position to pay off the debt in its entirety early.
The MLF loan was needed to cover state medical bills during the pandemic. But as of today, the state is caught up on its Medicaid payments with no additional borrowing in the state’s plans. The backlog of bills is down to $4 billion and the state is paying its bills within 15 business days, the quickest payment cycle in over 20 years, signaling the state is in a recovery mode compared to the budget challenges of recent years.
Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Establishes the creation of a United States Space Force special license plate. Provides that the design, color, and format of the plates shall be wholly within the discretion of the Secretary of State
* The Question: Your design suggestions for the proposed United States Space Force special license plate?
* As is often the case, the Sangamon County GOP didn’t go along with the program. Instead of appointing someone favored by the Senate Republicans who would use the time in office to set up a run against Democratic Sen. Doris Turner this year, they chose Sandy Hamilton…
When asked why she applied, Sandy Hamilton, the newly sworn-in representative for the Illinois 99th District, turned the question around.
“A friend called me and asked me about it and after a couple of days of talking it through with my husband, Bob, the real answer was why not? Why not do this?” said Hamilton, a real estate broker at RE/MAX Professionals and former volleyball coach at Sacred Heart-Griffin High School.
Hamilton emerged from a group of 20 candidates to claim the vacancy created by the resignation of Rep. Mike Murphy, a Republican from Springfield. […]
Hamilton said she would be open to running for reelection. Barghouti Hardwick previously said “it would be good” if the candidate was interested in running for that office again or interested in seeking another office.
Hamilton, who lives on the west side of Springfield, would be in the 95th district if she ran in 2022.
Rep. Tim Butler, R-Springfield, who also attended the swearing-in, said he planned to run for reelection, but hadn’t made a formal announcement.
Um.
* Press release…
Today the Villegas for Congress campaign released a preliminary estimate of the total funds raised in the 4th Quarter of 2021, the first fundraising quarter since Alderman Gilbert Villegas entered the race for the newly created Third Congressional District of Illinois. Villegas announced his candidacy on the Marine Corps birthday, November 10th, 2021.
The campaign expects to file more than $382,000 raised once all final contributions are received and tallied. The campaign also expects to report approximately $360,000 cash on hand once accounting for expenses.
Campaign manager Magdalena Fudalewicz released the following statement:
“Alderman Gilbert Villegas’s service as as a Marine, working class background driving trucks for the Teamsters, and public service is clearly resonating with supporters across the district. We’re thrilled that in just seven weeks and with several major holiday breaks, we’ve seen such a tremendous response to this campaign,” said Magdalena Fudalewicz.
* Press release…
Today, Nikki Budzinski announced that her campaign raised over $475,000 in the fourth quarter of 2021. Budzinski raised an additional $455,000 in the first five weeks of her campaign in the third quarter. Since announcing her campaign 133 days ago, Budzinski has raised over $930,000. Budzinski’s fundraising numbers are fueled by grassroots supporters from across Central and Southern Illinois and put her in a strong position to run an issues-based campaign and win in November.
Budzinski made the following statement: “I am honored and humbled by the support I’ve received since announcing my campaign in August. I am committed to being a champion for working families in Central and Southern Illinois, who for too long haven’t had a voice in Congress. The support I have received allows me to be laser focused on running the kind of issues-based campaign it will take to reach voters and win this district back for working families this November.”
* This is Courtney Parella’s first day on the job as the NRCC’s regional press secretary…
Hi there –
The Chicago Teachers Union is threatening to prevent students from returning to the classroom.
The union’s 25,000+ members are voting today to only work virtually, despite the devastating negative effects school closures have on students and families.
Will Sean Casten and Marie Newman stand by their teachers union donors and allow schools to be shut down?
NRCC Comment: “Sean Casten and Marie Newman refuse to stand up to their teachers union donors, despite the well-documented challenges for children and families that come with school closures. When will Democrats end their war on children?” – NRCC Spokeswoman Courtney Parella
— FIRST IN PLAYBOOK: Former Democratic Congressman Jerry Costello is endorsing Alexi Giannoulias for secretary of state in the Democratic primary. Costello served 12 terms before retiring from Congress in 2013, and before that he served eight years as St. Clair County Board chairman.
— State Rep. Maurice West announced his re-election campaign to the 67th District in the Illinois House. “Since 2019 I have focused my efforts in bringing opportunities and progress to the west, south and southeast sides of Rockford.” West, a Democrat, said in a statement.
— State Rep. Tom Bennett announced his re-election campaign to the 106th District in the Illinois House. “I’m proud to work on issues important to this region, including improving roads and infrastructure, increased funding for K-12 schools, economic development, and supporting public safety,” Bennett, a Republican, said in a statement.
— Former state Rep. Mary Edly Allen announced her run for the newly drawn 31st District seat in the state Senate. State Rep. Sam Yingling, a fellow Democrat, is also running for that seat.
— Grayslake Trustee Laura Dias is running for the IL-62 seat being vacated by state Rep. Sam Yingling.
— Justice Liam C. Brennan of Wheaton has announced his bid for the 3rd District Appellate Court vacancy created by the retirement of Justice Vicki Wright. Brennan was unanimously appointed by the Illinois Supreme Court to the 2nd District Appellate Court in March 2020. He is now running for the 3rd District Appellate seat as a result of recent remapping of the appellate districts. The new 3rd District Appellate Court encompasses DuPage, Will, Kankakee, Iroquois, Grundy, LaSalle, and Bureau County.
…Adding… Subscribers know more about Dordek…
Facing one of the most important election cycles in its 33-year history, Personal PAC has named a new chairperson.
Natalie Federle replaces Eileen Dordek, who resigned the post after announcing her candidacy for Illinois’ 13th state House District this week. Federle’s appointment comes as Personal PAC welcomes an unprecedented influx of young volunteers, further evidence of a national trend of Millenial and Gen Z voters galvanizing over restricted access to reproductive rights.
Federle, 38, is a Chicago attorney with a background in employment law. Currently the General Counsel of Sermo, she has practiced law in Chicago since 2011, beginning her career at DLA Piper.
In addition to her legal practice, Natalie has served on the Board of the Women’s Bar Association of Illinois, and has volunteered for many years as a voter protection attorney on election days.
Natalie has two daughters, a rescue dog, and is married to Julian Federle, the Director of Government Affairs at United Airlines.
She has been involved with Personal PAC since 2014, joining the board in 2017 before becoming vice chair in 2019.
“My time spent working on behalf of Personal PAC has been some of the most rewarding work of my life and I’m honored and excited to step into a leadership role,” Federle said. “The 2022 elections across the state and down the ballot are crucial in fighting back against the Federal attack on abortion rights. We must ensure Illinois elects a pro-choice Supreme Court, Governor, and General Assembly in November.”
On the eve of the one-year anniversary of Mary Miller’s infamous quotation of Adolf Hitler and her vote not to certify electoral college votes - one of the main drivers of the January 6 insurrection – President Kristina Zahorik of the Illinois Democratic County Chairs Association released the following statement:
“A year ago Mary Miller quoted Adolf Hitler to make a political point, and later could not even unequivocally apologize after being repudiated by both Republicans and Democrats for it. A day later, she acquiesced to the demands of the insurrectionists who attacked police and the U.S. Capital, and voted against certifying electoral college votes lawfully electing President Joe Biden.”
“While the news cycles may be shorter, our memories must remain long – Mary Miller is unfit to serve in Congress.”
* So, I asked the governor’s office for Illinois deaths per 100K since May 1. They sent along some other regional states as well for comparison…
Man, Indiana and Ohio. Whew. But they’re still not as bad as Florida and Texas. Get your shots so the trend stays more favorable.
* Also something I looked into during the break…
Some relatively good news: At one point in April of 2020, about a quarter of all covid cases were in long term care facilities. That's bad because the old and infirm are particularly vulnerable. This month, it's been less than 1%. Vaccines + experience https://t.co/emqqFL9Jhd
The government is encouraged by statistics showing that the recent jump in coronavirus-related hospital admissions hasn’t led to a similar increase in the number of patients needed mechanical ventilation, Blain said.
“We know that admissions and occupancy are increasing significantly at the moment, we’re not seeing that same jump in beds requiring ventilation, which is pleasing, and almost certainly a function of both the nature of omicron and our successful booster program,'’ he said.
While number of people hospitalized with COVID-19 in England has more than doubled over the past two weeks, the number of patients in mechanical ventilation beds has remained relatively stable, according to the latest government statistics.
That is not happening in Illinois, where ventilator use has almost doubled in the past couple of weeks. The English, however, are ahead of us in the omicron timeline. So, fingers crossed and get your shots.
* In other news, this presser is about the new Cook County requirement that people show proof of vaccination to get into bars, restaurants, etc., which is similar to the City of Chicago’s requirement…
MEDIA ADVISORY: House Republicans Stand Against Recent Cook County Mandate
WHO: State Representative Tom Morrison (R-Palatine), State Representative Chris Bos (R-Lake Zurich), and State Representative Martin McLaughlin (R-Barrington Hills).
WHAT: House Republicans to discuss the burden left on Cook County residents, local governments and businesses amid the new mandate effective this week.
WHEN: 11:00 A.M. on Tuesday, January 4th, 2022.
The only people I feel sorry for are the workers who have to deal with irate, unvaxed fools.
They’re not requiring vaccinations. That is not a vaccine mandate. What they are requiring is that if you go into a certain kind of establishment, they have a category of them, that you have to show that you’ve been vaccinated. … I think that the city and the county are doing the right thing for the people of the city and the county. I encourage local leaders to do what’s right in their communities. Every community is a bit different, as you know, some counties have very few restaurants, they’re, you know, quite far apart from one another. They don’t have huge crowds in those restaurants. And so it’s hard for them to have exactly the same kind of mitigation that the City of Chicago might have. And so it’s been my view that we need leaders locally to step up and do the right thing for their communities. But again, anybody who’s willing to step up and make the tough calls, and we’ve been making tough calls at the state level as well, at the city level at the county level, I applaud.
Arguments continue in cases brought by teachers challenging the governor’s vaccine mandates in schools and parents challenging mask and exclusion mandates on students.
Earlier Monday in Springfield, Sangamon County Judge Raylene Grischow heard arguments from defendants to have a different judge oversee the teacher’s case. That case has dozens of teachers and school staffing suing 22 districts. The judge said the issue has been delayed long enough.
“We’ll run out of judges before it’s heard and that causes a prejudicial effect to the plaintiffs,” Grischow said. “We’ve been dealing with this COVID issue, it needs to be decided and I’m going to deny the motion.”
Attorney Thomas DeVore argues on behalf of parents and teachers in separate cases the issue is about individual due process rights to challenge quarantine orders.
* No link because this is yet another salacious hit job…
While Gov. J.B. Pritzker was urging Illinois residents to cancel their New Year’s Eve plans, his daughter Theodora “Teddi” Pritzker rang in 2022 with style New Year’s Eve in a nightclub environment without a mask in the Bahamas.
The eldest child of billionaire Gov. J.B. Pritzker posted photos of herself in a bar-hopping dress, holding arms alongside her friends flaunting her luxurious lifestyle in a New Year’s Eve celebration untouched by the Covid-19 protocols imposed by her father.
Except all the photos Prairie State Wire ran are of her outside. There is no requirement to wear a mask outside in this state. The governor asked people to use caution on NYE and be aware who they were with. There is zero news value to the piece.
Basically, this is just another excuse to whack the governor while catering to the creepy urges of incels living in their mom’s basements. Great target audience, dudes.
* I went over this race with subscribers this morning, so here’s the press release…
John Milhiser today announced that he is running for the Republican nomination to replace retiring Jesse White as Illinois Secretary of State. Milhiser has dedicated his life to public service as Sangamon County State’s Attorney and United States Attorney for the Central District of Illinois, where he received unanimous bipartisan confirmation from the United States Senate, including support from Senators Dick Durbin and Tammy Duckworth.
“It is a privilege to run for this office and continue to fight to make our state a better place to live. I am running because we can do better in Illinois. We can have good government. We can have safe communities, and we can rebuild trust in our leaders,” says Milhiser. “As the next Secretary of State, I will continue to work to end the culture of corruption that has been fostered for decades in this state. Together we can forge a new future for Illinois unencumbered by the last half century of back room deals that have led our state down the wrong path. We must move forward, not backward, and away from the corruption that has plagued our state for so many years.”
Milhiser is not a politician. He is a public servant, who has dedicated his life to improving his community by leading a state prosecutor’s office, a federal prosecutor’s office, and most recently, a classroom. As Secretary of State, Milhiser’s goal will remain the same, to work each day to make a difference and have a positive impact on the citizens of Illinois.
As United States Attorney, Milhiser successfully prosecuted murderers, violent criminals, child predators, drug dealers, embezzlers, and human traffickers. Most recently, he gained bipartisan praise for leading the prosecution of an elected official on charges of fraud, money laundering, and tax evasion related to his alleged misuse of campaign money for personal expenses. Milhiser has a long history of investigating and prosecuting cases of corruption and other crimes against the public.
Prior to serving as United States Attorney, Milhiser was a prosecutor in the Sangamon County State’s Attorney’s Office for 16 years where he was known as a champion for victims. He prosecuted serious felony cases, including First Degree Murder, Aggravated Criminal Sexual Assault, Aggravated DUI, and the Attempted Murder of Police Officers.
John Milhiser’s commitment to justice and public service will help to restore faith in state government and our leaders. With a Governor and statewide officials who continue Speaker Madigan’s culture of corruption, Illinois needs someone of utmost integrity. John Milhiser will operate the office with zero tolerance for corruption and demand efficient and effective service to taxpayers.
The Secretary of State employs more than 4,000 employees, with a portfolio ranging from drivers’ services and the Illinois State Archives and Library to motor vehicle theft investigations and the Capitol Police Department.
For over 25 years, Milhiser has called Illinois home and has served our community. He has served on the board of the Sangamon County Child Advocacy Center, Helping Hands Homeless Shelter, Memorial Behavioral Health Mental Health Centers, Sangamon County Juvenile Justice Council, and the Springfield Public Schools Foundation. Milhiser is a past President of the Illinois State’s Attorneys Association and a former adjunct professor at Springfield College in Illinois/Benedictine University.
Currently, Milhiser is teaching high school government, history, and English at Lawrence Education Center in Springfield. Milhiser met his wife, Gail, at the University of Illinois College of Law. They have been married for 24 years and have two daughters.
Learn more about John Milhiser and his campaign for Secretary of State at johnmilhiser.com.
This is apparently the first candidate in the rollout of the unified “business” ticket. Rep. Dan Brady (R-Bloomington) didn’t make the cut. There’s still apparently an open House seat available not far from his home. We’ll see what he does, but he won’t be able to outraise Milhiser.
Also, this Milhiser guy is squeaky clean. No oppo issues. The Democrats should probably keep that in mind.
*** UPDATE 1 *** Dan Brady campaign…
Dan Brady today announced the endorsements of numerous state representatives, state senators, and members of Illinois’ Congressional delegation, including Congressmen Rodney Davis, Darin LaHood, and Mike Bost, for his Secretary of State campaign. These endorsements represent deep statewide support for Brady.
“I am thankful to have the support of so many of my colleagues from the General Assembly,” said Brady.” It has been an honor to serve the people of Illinois and I appreciate the guidance that my colleagues will be able to share with me about how Secretary of State services can be improved in their parts of the state. I am looking forward to campaigning across the state with my House and Senate colleagues to share my vision for a more efficient and effective Secretary of State office.”
“Having Republican lawmakers’ support and guidance behind me is significant,” Brady said. “Their support will allow us to build an effective campaign infrastructure from Cairo to Waukegan as I prepare to share my message with voters in the months ahead.”
Illinois lawmakers who endorse Rep. Brady in his Secretary of State campaign include:
Representatives:
House Republican Leader Jim Durkin
State Rep. Michael Marron
State Rep. Amy Grant
State Rep. Norine Hammond
State Rep. Brad Halbrook
State Rep. Patrick Windhorst
State Rep. Brad Stephens
State Rep. Paul Jacobs
State Rep. C.D. Davidsmeyer
State Rep. Randy Frese
State Rep. Charles Meier
State Rep. Seth Lewis
State Rep. Chris Bos
State Rep. Steve Reick
State Rep. Chris Miller
State Rep. Tim Butler
State Rep. Dan Swanson
State Rep. Tom Bennett
State Rep. Dan Ugaste
State Rep. Tom Weber
State Rep. Dave Severin
State Rep. Tony McCombie
State Rep. David Friess
State Rep. David Welter
State Rep. Deanne Mazzochi
State Rep. Jackie Haas
State Rep. Jeff Keicher
State Rep. Amy Elik
State Rep. Joe Sosnowski
State Rep. Keith Sommer
State Rep. Mark Luft
State Rep. Martin McLaughlin
Senators:
State Senator: Brian Stewart
State Senator Chapin Rose
State Senator Don DeWitte State Senator Dave Syverson
State Senator Jason Barickman
State Senator Jil Tracy
State Senator Neal Anderson
State Senator Sally Turner
State Senator Steve McClure
State Senator Sue Rezin
State Senator Terri Bryant
U.S. Congress:
Representative Darin LaHood
Representative Mike Bost
Representative Rodney Davis
*** UPDATE 2 *** DPI…
Democratic Party of Illinois Executive Director Abby Witt released the following statement regarding the announcement that Republican John Milhiser will run for Secretary of State:
“John Milhiser is the first pawn in the latest political game from Bruce Rauner and Ken Griffin. Rauner and Griffin are most famous for waging a disastrous four-year war on good government in Illinois, decimating our social safety net and nearly plunging our state into junk status. Rauner and Griffin are now back, choosing their own slate of handpicked puppets instead of letting voters to have their say.
“Of course, Rauner and Griffin’s first failed adventure in state government ended when they were overwhelmingly rejected by voters, but we know that won’t stop them from picking a slate of candidates to do their bidding — like Milhiser and their rumored gubernatorial candidate Richard Irvin. Unfortunately for Milhiser, Irvin, and any others, Illinois voters are smart enough recognize a Rauner-Griffin reboot when they see it.”
* Back in 2016, while newspaper editorial boards and conservative groups throughout the land were clamoring for the elimination of townships, the Daily Southtown took a look at a township in its own coverage area…
Everywhere Frank Zuccarelli goes in Thornton Township, people approach him for a handshake or a hug and kiss on the cheek.
At the senior center in Calumet City, where the township hosts lunches and events, including line dancing classes. Outside a township food pantry in Harvey, which Zuccarelli boasts is one of the state’s biggest. In Dolton, while one of Zuccarelli’s youth work crews mow a resident’s lawn. Zuccarelli greets everyone warmly.
“I really do love the people,” says Zuccarelli, Thornton Township’s supervisor since 1993. “I don’t have to fake it.”
Zuccarelli heads the largest township in Cook County. Thornton Township includes parts of at least 17 communities in Chicago’s south suburbs, including some of the state’s poorest towns. He’s also a powerful political player in Cook County and Democratic circles.
Frank Zuccarelli, a south suburban power broker who ran one of the state’s most influential political organizations, died Monday. He was 70.
Zuccarelli was Thornton Township supervisor since 1993, where he ran public assistance programs that helped some of the state’s neediest people. He also headed a powerful political machine that inspired countless visits from political hopefuls looking to get a boost at the ballot box and drew criticism for waste and patronage. […]
He also was chairman of South Suburban College’s board of trustees since 1987 and was active in the Cook County Democratic Party, where he controlled the most votes within the party. […]
In an interview this week, party chair Toni Preckwinkle praised Zuccarelli as “a real heavyweight in the south suburbs” and noted he retained his electoral popularity even as the region changed demographically.
“He was a white person who was responsible for an overwhelmingly African American constituency in Thornton Township and was beloved by everybody. If he’d run for committeeperson again, (he’d have won),” Preckwinkle said. “That says something about the way in which he served the people he was responsible for and their regard to him.”
Calumet City Mayor and State Rep. Thaddeus Jones (D-Calumet City) was among those paying tribute to Zuccarelli on Monday.
“He was my mentor, my friend, my brother,” Jones said. “The south suburbs lost a warrior. … He left a trail of service to others.”
Jones said one of his earliest political memories was of walking around his neighborhood as a 13-year-old, knocking on doors in support of Zuccarelli.
“Even though we had our battles, we understood each other,” Jones said. “We fought, but we came together not only for each other but for the people of Thornton Township.”
* Well said…
Frank Zuccarelli was a friend, and not just to me. He delighted in being a friend to many. His legacy reflects his life as he lived it: in service and friendship to the South Suburbs community and the students, families, and seniors who shape it.
According to Matt Dietrich, public information officer for the Illinois State Board of Elections, the township has 60 days to call a meeting and make an appointment. The board can appoint any qualified candidate that does not have a felony. They do not have to call a special election.
However the statute also states “if a vacancy exists in any township office and the vacancy is not filled within 60 days, the electors at a special township meeting may select a qualified person to fill the vacancy and to serve until the expiration of that term.”
During his most recent swearing in ceremony which took place in May, Zuccarelli said he respected the people he served and that it was important to always work for the community. At that time, he said he was not looking to retire anytime soon and had more work to do to help the Thornton Township community.
And the same is true in Peoria, Joliet and all over Illinois.
Our government should act that way too.
But for years in Illinois, they left bills unpaid, ruined our credit, and racked up over a billion dollars in interest penalties.
As Governor, I was determined to help fix the financial mess.
Now, Illinois is keeping its promises by passing real balanced budgets.
We’re cutting costs, paying bills on time and paying down our debt––saving taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars.
And our credit rating has been upgraded for the first time in twenty years.
We’re on the right track, and I’ll work every single day to keep it that way.
Because you deserve nothing less than a state that works as hard as you do.
*** UPDATE *** ILGOP…
As crime and COVID-19 surge across Illinois, Governor JB Pritzker’s focus is on politics, launching a new political ad that laughably tries to convince Illinois families “we’re on the right track.”
The new ad conveniently ignores three years of Pritzker/Madigan corruption and policies that are driving people out of Illinois in droves including:
• Claiming credit for paying bills while ignoring the massive federal bailout that rescued the state from years of Democratic mismanagement.
• Signing a disastrous crime bill that puts criminals onto the streets while tying the hands of law enforcement.
• Attempting to pass the largest tax hike in Illinois history, while committing to do it again.
• Breaking promises and partnering with Mike Madigan to keep insiders in control of Springfield.
“Not even a week into 2022, and JB Pritzker is already attempting to rewrite history hoping voters forget he signed a disastrous crime bill that lets criminals onto our streets, pushed for the largest tax hike in Illinois history and partnered with Mike Madigan to keep Springfield insiders in power,” said ILGOP Spokesperson Joe Hackler.
Illinois senior United States Senator Dick Durbin announced today his endorsement for Anna Valencia in the 2022 race for Illinois Secretary of State.
“Anna Valencia is ready to make history as the first woman to be elected as Illinois Secretary of State,” said Senator Durbin. “She is part of the newest generation of Democrats who are critical to our future in this state. In 2014, she worked tirelessly to ensure my re-election by uniting our party faithful with Democrats who were new to the party and just emerging. Anna is an exceptional candidate, and I trust her to effectively lead an office which touches all of our lives.”
“I am proud to have the support of Senator Dick Durbin in my campaign for Illinois Secretary of State,” said Anna Valencia. “Senator Durbin has worked hard to invest in the next generation of Democratic leaders and has always gone to bat for working families like my own. I was honored when he trusted me to run his re- election campaign back in 2014, and I am thrilled that he has once again put his faith and trust in me by endorsing me in this race.”
With Senator Durbin’s endorsement, Valencia now has the support of both U.S. Senators in her bid for Illinois Secretary of State.
In addition to the endorsements of Senator Durbin and Senator Tammy Duckworth, Valencia has built a strong statewide coalition of support, including Congresswoman Lauren Underwood, Associated Fire Fighters of Illinois (AFFI), Illinois Nurses Association - The Nurses Union (INA), Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers (BAC) Administrative District Council 1, International Union of Painters and Allied Trades (IUPAT) Local 14 and Local 58, Illinois Association of Heat and Frost and Allied Workers Local 1, Unite Here Local 1, and other legislative, local elected, and community leaders from across the state.
More news on this open slot in a bit.
* Video…
🚨 ENDORSEMENT NEWS 🚨
I’m honored to have the resounding endorsement of Senator @DickDurbin in the race for IL Secretary of State!@SenatorDurbin has worked hard to invest in the next generation of Democratic leaders & has always gone to bat for working families like my own. pic.twitter.com/FKReQKfUpR
Durbin said in a campaign video he made, to be released Tuesday, that there are four “fine” Democrats running, but Valencia was “exceptional.”
Valencia managed Durbin’s reelection campaign in 2014, with Durbin entrusting his political future to a then-28-year-old.
Durbin said she worked “tirelessly” to ensure his win “by uniting our party faithful with Democrats who were new to the party and just emerging. Anna is an exceptional candidate, and I trust her to effectively lead an office which touches all of our lives.”
Duckworth already held two fundraisers for Valencia — August in Springfield and another in October in Chicago — and has called labor leaders on her behalf, Valencia’s spokesperson said.
Durbin will also be doing fundraising for Valencia.
* I tipped subscribers to the possibility of some of this happening earlier today, but I’m told it came down to the wire…
The House and Senate Redistricting Committees today released updated Cook County Judicial Subcircuit boundaries that reflect suggestions gathered during the public hearing in December. Additionally, the Committees released proposed redrawn subcircuits for the 16th and 19th Circuits, as well as the proposed creation of subcircuits in the 3rd, 7th, 17th and 18th Circuits to allow for greater opportunities for diversity on the bench. Redrawn subcircuits for the 12th and 22nd Circuits will be forthcoming.
Noteworthy revisions to the Cook County boundaries include consolidating Niles Township and extending greater Chinatown further south down to Pershing Road. These improvements, offered through public testimony, will better reflect the population and demographics in these communities.
The creation of new subcircuits in DuPage, Sangamon and Madison counties will give minority communities a better opportunity to elect candidates of their choice and influence elections. These new subcircuits will help improve the diversity of opinion and background of judges, while giving everyone a voice in electing a bench of judges they feel best represent their communities.
The proposed drawing of subcircuits will not impact the tenure of current circuit court judges.
Members of the public may provide testimony or offer suggestions through email at redistrictingcommittee@hds.ilga.gov and redistrictingcommittee@senatedem.ilga.gov. If anyone wishes to submit their own proposals, they may do so through the online map portal located on the House and Senate redistricting websites. For that tool and to view the proposed maps, visit www.ilhousedems.com/redistricting or www.ilsenateredistricting.com.
The 3rd includes Madison (click here and here to see how they’ve divvied it up), 7th includes Sangamon (click here and here, 17th includes Winnebago (here and here) and the 18th is Dupage (here and here). There was a push for Champaign and Peoria as well, but those apparently didn’t make the cut
Legislative Democrats have released proposed maps that would carve the Seventh Judicial Circuit, which includes Sangamon and several neighboring counties, into three subcircuits… one made up of Springfield’s inner city, the second comprised of the rest of Sangamon County, and the third that consists of the remaining counties in the circuit. Democrats say the creation of an urban subcircuit will improve chances for minority representation on the bench.
But GOP Representative Tim Butler thinks it’s a move to “pack the courts” with Democratic judges, and wants more details on the plan, including how much extra it would cost to implement.
Rep. Bobby Rush, D-Ill., the former Black Panther, ex-Chicago alderman, member of Congress and a minister, told the Chicago Sun-Times on Monday that he will not seek another term.
Rush, first elected to Congress in 1992, said in an interview he intends to stay active in his ministry and find ways to use his remarkable life story — a trajectory from a 1960s radical to House member — to inspire younger generations. […]
Rush told me he finalized his decision not to seek another term in the last several weeks and it came after a conversation with a grandson, Jonathan, 19, who said he wanted to hear more about his grandfather.
“I don’t want my grandchildren . . . to know me from a television news clip or something they read in a newspaper,” Rush said.
…Adding… Also, as I told subscribers this morning, be wary of stories like this one which float endless names of people who may or may not actually be interested. It’s not news. It’s pure speculation, particularly about those who would have to give up their gigs to run in a potentially crowded primary.
Illinois State Senator Robert Peters (D-Chicago), who shares his district with U.S. Rep. Bobby Rush (D-Chicago), released the following statement in response to Congressman Rush’s announcement today that he will not seek re-election:
“As a kid on Chicago’s South Side, I had the privilege of growing up with Bobby Rush as an example of a fearless and righteous leader who helped make our city and our country a better place for everyone.
“Congressman Rush – and his impact on advancing racial justice – will endure far beyond his nearly 40 years in public office. He helped found the movement that’s made a half century of progress toward civil rights possible – a movement that has grown across communities, at all levels of government, and continues today.
“With this news, we can all benefit from starting the new year by taking a step back to reflect on – and find inspiration from – Congressman Rush’s lifetime of work toward fairness, and equity. We know the work isn’t done, but Bobby Rush has shown us there’s nothing that we collectively cannot do.”
…Adding… DPI…
Democratic Party of Illinois Chair Rep. Robin Kelly released the following statement regarding the announcement that Rep. Bobby Rush will not run for re-election:
“Bobby Rush has dedicated his entire life to serving his community. An instrumental figure in the civil rights movement, his passion and determination in the fight for justice serves as an inspiration to us all. As a 15-term congressman, Rep. Rush has worked selflessly for the people of the South Side of Chicago and beyond, passing numerous pieces of critical legislation to strengthen public safety and promote equality in American society. On behalf of all Democrats in Illinois, I thank him for his years of service and wish him well as he begins his next chapter later this year.”
Illinois state Sen. Kimberly Lightford and her husband were carjacked Tuesday night in suburban Broadview, police said.
No one was hurt, but at least one of the suspects fired gunshots at Lightford’s husband, according to police.
Lightford, a Democrat from Maywood, and her husband were in a black Mercedes SUV and were in the near west suburb to drop off a friend, according to Broadview police Chief Thomas Mills.
Three masked individuals in a Dodge Durango SUV blocked the couple’s Mercedes in the 2000 block of South 20th Avenue about 9:45 p.m. The suspects ordered Lightford and her husband, who was driving, out of the Mercedes, said Mills.
“I begged them not to shoot my husband, not to shoot me,” Lightford told reporters Thursday morning at a Christmas present giveaway for children in Proviso Township. “They took everything off me that I had of value.”
Lightford said her husband gave the carjackers the keys to the car.
“They had separated me and my husband,” she said on WGN-TV. “After they got the guns off of us, my husband told me to run. I ran, reluctantly, because I didn’t want to leave him there. And it was a scary run because now shots are being fired. I thought for sure they were going to shoot me.”
Lightford said her husband is a concealed-carry permit holder. He fired at the carjackers, she said.
At an event on Thursday, Lightford, a Maywood Democrat who has been in the state legislature since 1998, said she was “doing much better today” and that she “didn’t realize what a traumatic event could do in an adult.”
* Meanwhile, Sun-Times crime reporter Frank Main recently interviewed a West Side, 30-something carjacker…
Q. To your knowledge, is this generally a random crime? Or is there a lot of planning that goes into this?
A. Mostly a random crime.
Q. Is there somebody that everybody knows in a particular neighborhood that you can sell [stolen car parts to]?
A. Through social media, you’ll hear where people want car parts. People know that’s where to take the cars.
Q. What’s your impression of [Cook County State’s Attorney] Kim Foxx and whether [prosecutors] are lenient or tough on this crime?
A. They’re not playing on carjackings. They are not being lenient on this crime.
Q. So it sounds to me that you’re saying you don’t believe that this giant increase in carjackings has to do [with] prosecutors or police going easy on carjackers or that the criminal justice system is going easy on people who commit these crimes. Is that right?
A. True.
* Maya Dukmasova at the Chicago Reader pointed to her own research earlier this year to back up this claim…
When it comes to the felony carjacking charges—for which, according to [Chief of Detectives Brendan] Deenihan’s presentation, only 178 people were arrested [in 2020] —the State’s Attorney’s Office seems to be functioning as expected. In 2020, according to the office, felony carjacking charges for adults were approved 97 percent of the time, and resulted in convictions 93 percent of the time. For juveniles, the State’s Attorney’s Office approved charges 89 percent of the time and convictions resulted in 90 percent of cases.
* But while the carjacker claims that fast, expensive vehicles are mainly targeted, Dukmasova found that the numbers show otherwise…
Though there’s been much speculation about the types of cars being targeted—in particular popular Dodge Chargers and Challengers because of anecdotal reports that they can be hacked—CPD’s data showed that most often carjacked cars are the most common economy vehicle makes: Toyota, Ford, Nissan, Honda, and Chevrolet.
A Cook County judge was carjacked at gunpoint along with her 3-year-old son late Thursday in Humboldt Park.
Judge Anna Loftus was robbed of her 2018 Subaru Crosstrek, her purse and a cellphone, according to a memo shared with 14th District Chicago police officers. No one was physically hurt.
The toddler was in the back seat as the 52-year-old pulled the vehicle into a residential garage about 11:30 p.m., according to police news affairs.
That’s when two males walked up, and one of them, carrying a gun, ordered her and the boy out of the car.
As much as people may complain about lawlessness today, 1974 remains Chicago’s official benchmark for the most murders in an annual period.
This is not to be confused with “murder rate,” a calculation comparing crime data with a city’s population. Chicago’s worst “per capita” homicide year was 1992, when 940 people were slain but when the city had 600,000 fewer residents. The murder rate then was 34 victims per 100,000 people.
If you are talking about sheer volume of homicides, 1974 is it.
“More killings here than Belfast,” a pessimistic Sun-Times editorial headline read in late December, after police officer Harl Gene Meister was killed in a robbery attempt that left his 8-year-old son seriously wounded. Meister was off-duty and doing some last-minute Christmas shopping when he and the boy were confronted by a group of juveniles in a store parking lot on the Southwest Side. […]
Officials of the day blamed the usual suspects for so many killings: easy access to firearms, including the cheap but lethal “Saturday Night Special,” and a court system that critics said treated offenders too leniently.
James Rochford, Chicago’s $34,500-a-year police superintendent, complained that thousands of suspects his officers arrested in the past year were out on bond for similar crimes. He said the average hardened offender was wise to this revolving-door system.
* I was exposed to covid twice over the two-week break. I had mild symptoms that went away quickly both times. I’ve been tested three times so far (both rapid and PCR) and all came back negative. That was great news for me, but the experiences gave me an up close and personal look at the national testing shortage and it’s bad. Really, really bad. I was also kinda grumpy because I had to isolate Christmas eve and New Year’s eve.
The whole world saw how fast this omicron variant was spreading. “Everybody has it,” was a constant refrain I heard from friends all over the state last month - and these are people who generally try to be careful about their behavior.
And since so many people seem to have it, even more are getting tested far more often as they either feel symptoms or learn that someone they’ve been in contact with has tested positive.
So, basic arithmetic dictates that as this virus inevitably spreads ever wider, many more tests are going to be needed. The 500 million tests promised by President Biden will be too little and very likely way too late to deal with this need. To say the feds dropped the ball bigtime would be a massive understatement. I ordered four rapid tests through the mail early on, used two, gave one to a friend and have just one left. I’m hoarding that one.
* I happen to believe that fully vaccinated and boosted people (like myself) should not have to suffer consequences for following the rules. Unfortunately, a small and stubborn and ignorant minority is jamming up our local hospitals to the breaking point. From the governor’s office…
From the end of November to end of December about 91 percent of hospital admissions for COVID were those who are not fully vaccinated.
"Hospitals cannot end this pandemic on their own. They need the continuing help and support of the public. The best way to support your hospitals is to get vaccinated." AJ Wilhelmi, IHA President & CEO. https://t.co/SEWikto586
* And while we’re on the topic of those who “reject all of the measures to reduce this disease,” here’s a Champaign News-Gazette editorial…
State Sen. Darren Bailey, a leading Republican candidate for governor of Illinois, thinks Gov. J.B. Pritzker should stop haranguing Illinoisans to get vaccinated.
State Sen. Darren Bailey, a Republican candidate for governor from Clay County, thinks Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s “rhetoric is abhorrent and has no place in any civil discussion.”
Pritzker’s sin? He urged Illinoisans who are unvaccinated to get the COVID-19 vaccine so that they don’t take up a hospital bed that could be used by a cancer or heart attack patient.
“The role of government is not to coerce and control residents, but to educate them and provide them with resources to make the best decisions for themselves and their families,” Bailey charged.
Which is exactly what Pritzker, health care professionals and even other Republican governors are doing.
Thousands of COVID tests for Chicago Public Schools students and staff members have been deemed “invalid” as the district prepares for a return to classrooms following the winter break.
With cases across the state and within the district surging, CPS reported 35,590 tests were completed between Dec. 26 and Jan. 1, but 24,843 were ruled “invalid,” according to data posted on the district’s website.
According to the Chicago Teachers Union, many parents received emails from the company handling the tests saying some samples were deemed “unsatisfactory” after being delayed in transit to the lab because of holiday shipping issues and weather.
“Delays between sampling and actually processing those samples ended up spoiling test results,” the union said in a release.
* Some of us talked about this on Twitter over the weekend…
* Mary Miller then announced that she’ll run against fellow Republican Rodney Davis in the 15th Congressional District…
“President Donald Trump inspired me to run in 2020 because our country needs principled conservatives in Congress who always put America First,” said Congresswoman Miller.
“Today, President Trump is endorsing me because I am a conservative fighter who is not afraid to take on the DC swamp.”
“I am not a career politician, and running for office is not my life’s ambition,” said Miller. “My life is spent in the real world, on my small family farm with my husband Chris, where we were blessed to raise our seven children and welcome our seventeen grandchildren. I bring those values to Washington, not the other way around.”
Elected in 2020 with President Trump’s support as an America First conservative, Congresswoman Mary Miller received 73.4% of the vote in the 15th District. She has been a strong supporter of President Trump and opposed efforts by Nancy Pelosi, Adam Kinzinger, and Liz Cheney to attack President Trump through the political “witch hunt” January 6th Commission.
“I voted against Joe Biden’s red-flag gun confiscation efforts, which violate the Second Amendment rights of American citizens,” said Miller, who has the most conservative voting record of any member from Illinois. “I was endorsed by the NRA in 2020 and I’m the only member from Illinois with an A rating from the Gun Owners of America for always supporting the Second Amendment.”
“I’m proud to be the only member of Congress from Illinois who is fighting to impeach Joe Biden and the lawless Biden Cabinet for leaving our border exposed to an invasion of illegal immigration,” said Miller. “I am the only member from Illinois who has fought every effort by Joe Biden to use COVID vaccine mandates to fire Americans from their jobs and I opposed funding COVID vaccine databases that share information with the federal government.”
As a Pro-Life mother and grandmother, Congresswoman Miller serves as an advocate for the unborn, giving a voice to the voiceless in the womb. “When Democrats pushed for taxpayer-funded chemical abortion, I led the fight to ban taxpayer-funded chemical abortion with the Protecting Life on College Campus Act,” said Miller.
Congresswoman Miller is in a strong position to win re-election in the new 15th Congressional District, which gave President Trump 68 percent of the vote in 2020.
“I won’t allow corrupt Democrats like JB Pritzker to cut backroom deals to draw me out of the district I represent, because conservative voters who stand with President Trump deserve a Pro-Second Amendment, Pro-Life, America First voice in Congress,” said Miller.
“With hard work, prayer, and faith in our country, conservatives will take back the House and Make America Great Again.”
* There were some problems with some of her claims. For instance…
Mary Miller is claiming she's the "only Republican from Illinois" to vote against red flag laws for military members. Except even the NRA says that never became law, and the bill Reps. Davis, Bost, LaHood, and Kinzinger voted for on 12/7 did not include it. https://t.co/ozqagryrNa
* Anyway, Rep. Davis seemed to be ready for this and fired off a blistering response…
Rodney Davis’ campaign for Congress released the following statement after Mary Miller announced she’s running for Congress in the 15th District. The statement is attributed to Davis campaign spokesperson Aaron DeGroot:
“Mary Miller is only an outsider in the sense that she doesn’t live in the 15th District. She’s a carpetbagger and Chicagoland native. Miller is so desperate to stay in Congress she’s running in a district she doesn’t live in, just like her husband. The Millers are taking a page out of the Springfield political insider playbook. Politics is their family business.
“Even worse, Miller supports the Never Trump ticket for Illinois Governor and refused to vote against Nancy Pelosi’s sham, partisan 1/6 Select Committee. All Mary Miller has to show for her time in Congress is quoting Hitler and voting with Democrats like AOC and the far left squad to defund our military and block a pay raise for our troops. That’s shameful. It’s clear that Mary Miller is all talk, no action.
“Rodney Davis is a conservative who gets things done. He’s already been hard at work highlighting his conservative accomplishments and work with President Trump during his time in office. That’s why he’s earned support from countless grassroots Republican leaders in the district. Our campaign looks forward to educating voters on how Rodney is an effective conservative member of Congress and Mary is not.”
Um, Rodney has been involved in Illinois/US politics most of his adult life. Politics is definitely his business. And what’s he gonna do in the fall if the “Never Trump ticket” of Darren Bailey and Stephanie Trussell wins the primary? One campaign at a time, I suppose.
A “conservative who gets things done” with the endorsement of almost every major elected official in his new district means he’s going to run a traditional Illinois Republican race. He’ll work it hard. She has Trump. Should be interesting to watch.
* News media roundup…
* Controversial Downstate freshman GOP Rep. Mary Miller to primary veteran Republican U.S. Rep. Rodney Davis after Trump endorsement: Davis has already been endorsed by 32 of the 35 GOP county chairmen in the new 15th District, as well as by two of his neighboring Illinois Republican congressional colleagues, Darin LaHood of Peoria and Bost, and more than a dozen GOP state lawmakers in the new district. Davis also has been a strong supporter of Trump and co-chaired his 2020 reelection campaign in Illinois. Davis also has backed House Republican leadership under Kevin McCarthy of California.
* Trump endorses Rep. Mary Miller against Rep. Rodney Davis despite pleas from leadership not to get involved in primary: Miller, a member of the hardline House Freedom Caucus, recently caused a stir within the Republican conference for spreading misinformation about a vaccine records bill and an annual defense policy bill that many House Republicans voted for. As CNN first reported last month, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene — another controversial firebrand who is close with Miller — had been lobbying Trump to throw his weight behind Miller, while House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy had urged Trump not to get involved, concerned it could make things even messier for party leaders.
* Trump endorses Illinois Rep. Mary Miller over Rep. Rodney Davis: Trump’s move comes as he is looking to spark intra-party primaries in order to increase the numbers of Trump-loyal MAGA Republicans in the House in advance of his anticipated 2024 White House comeback bid.
Matt Chapman, a self-described data nerd who runs a not-for-profit group called “Free Our Data,” recently filed Freedom of Information Act requests with Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s office. He wanted everything received by the Chicago Tribune this year via their FOIA requests.
Chapman’s trove included text messages sent back and forth between Lightfoot and state leaders, including Gov. J.B. Pritzker.
Most of the conversations were innocuous or polite. The governor thanked the mayor for sending him a bottle of tequila, for example.
But some of the conversations are revealing. On July 14 of last year, Lightfoot informed the governor that the city was “toying with a mandatory mask order for Chicago.”
The governor responded: “Just want you to know we already have a statewide mandatory mask order. It is the law right now during the emergency.”
Pritzker had, indeed, issued a mask order more than two months before Lightfoot was kicking the idea around.
I thought that was weird, but then last week Lightfoot introduced a city ordinance that was basically a copy-and-paste of a bill Pritzker had recently signed into law. Oops.
In August of 2020, during violence and looting, Pritzker sent Lightfoot a text message saying the two should talk about the situation. An hour later, Pritzker sent her another text saying, “I’m hearing reports of activity downtown and want to reiterate my offer of assistance of state police tonight.”
There was no reply. Billionaire Ken Griffin has heaped scorn on Pritzker for not intervening in the city’s violence, but that message shows he was at least trying to convince the mayor to accept state help on one occasion.
In late September, Pritzker told Lightfoot that the state police and the National Guard were “coordinating closely” with the Chicago Police Department through the weekend. “Hopefully we are all over-prepared,” he wrote. “Thanks so much for your leadership,” she told the governor. “I hear from lots of folks that they like to see us working together. Gives them confidence.”
“Agree and also I like working on the same page with you. So there’s that.” Pritzker wrote.
In January of this year, before vaccinations became widespread, Chicago resident Pritzker sent the mayor a Block Club Chicago story about a massive indoor party in the Old Town neighborhood. “How brazen?” he wrote. “This looks ripe for a visit by CPD. !!!”
“On it,” Lightfoot replied.
But there were clearly moments of tension. “Just hearing from one of my city council chairmen that your team is trying to move something on [the sale of the] Thompson Center without presenting a plan to me and my team,” Lightfoot told Pritzker. “We should discuss because that will not happen.”
Instead of replying to Lightfoot’s text, Pritzker sent a link to an online opinion piece written by a political enemy that trashed both him and Illinois Department of Public Health Director Ngozi Ezike. The piece was believed at the time to have been generated by Lightfoot or her allies because it also heaped praise on Lightfoot’s public health director.
“Thank you,” was all Pritzker wrote. There was no reply.
Organized labor worked last spring to kill a proposal by Pritzker and the Illinois Retail Merchants Association for a statewide mandated paid sick leave law. Lightfoot was also opposed, and she made that known in a text to the governor in late May. “I would like to talk about the paid sick leave bill. We strongly oppose. Let me know when you can talk.” There was no recorded reply.
Senate President Don Harmon often didn’t reply to the mayor’s texts, although that doesn’t mean he didn’t pick up the phone or talk to others.
Lightfoot sent several terse but one-way text messages to Harmon this year, including these in January of 2021: “Don, my folks are bringing me comments that are concerning. If there is no personal issue, you want to address, then let’s have the discussion. … Correction: if there is a personal issue that is of concern, let’s put it on the table.”
A few days later: “A courtesy call regarding the fire pension bill would have been helpful, particularly since there is no funding for it. When that pension fund collapses, I will be talking a lot about this vote.”
And then in May: “It is important that we talk early. The direction things are going is totally inconsistent with what you committed to.”
All of Lightfoot’s texts with House Speaker Chris Welch were cordial. Former House Speaker Michael Madigan didn’t do texts.
In spring 2020, for instance, Lightfoot texted Pritzker a news report analyzing tensions between their administrations as the city was negotiating for a Chicago casino and criticized his employees.
“Gov, this is petty and unnecessary and why we have serious issues with your staff,” Lightfoot texted. “Not smart.”
The next morning, Pritzker responded, “I woke up and saw your text. Texting probably not the best way to communicate. You should call me when you can.”
A day later, Lightfoot texted Pritzker a Sun-Times opinion piece with the headline, “Mayor’s gaffes won’t help Chicago get a lift from Pritzker and Springfield.”
“Super helpful,” she wrote.
Pritzker responded: “Mayor. I didn’t write this nor did I foster it. I get bad press too. Call when you would like.”
* Dan Petrella and Jeremy Gorner at the Tribune have a very comprehensive and well-researched preview of the coming legislative session…
With elections looming and another coronavirus surge underway, Illinois lawmakers are due to return to Springfield Wednesday with the goal of crafting next year’s state budget and wrapping up much of their other work for the year by early April — nearly two months ahead of the usual schedule.
Whether the Democratic-controlled legislature will be able to meet that deadline remains to be seen, as the skyrocketing number of COVID-19 cases forced the General Assembly to cancel the other session days during the first week of the new year and likely the entire second week. But with primaries set for June 28 and all 177 seats in the Illinois House and Senate up for election in 2022, lawmakers will be eager to avoid controversial issues and get back home to campaign. […]
House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch of Hillside, who along with Senate President Don Harmon of Oak Park controls the legislative calendar, says the schedule for the upcoming spring session is not shortened but condensed. Lawmakers were originally slated to be at the Capitol for roughly the same number of days as in a typical year, but it’s unclear if that will happen with the big surge in COVID-19 cases. […]
Senate GOP leader Dan McConchie of Hawthorn Woods expressed similar frustrations with his caucus’s superminority role, noting that members introduced several anti-crime proposals in the fall that were ignored by Democrats.
“At the end of the day, the biggest question is whether we’re going to have robust debate in an election year on key issues that the public seems concerned about,” McConchie said.
There will likely be a very robust debate about that issue, but it’ll likely be confined to private Democratic caucus meetings.
Anyway, go read the rest. They clearly put a lot of work into it.
* From Politico, but with a big caveat that the petition filing deadline was already shortened to March 14 last May…
“We’ve proven an ability to use remote hearings in particular for committees, which much of the front end of the session will likely be,” Senate President Don Harmon told Playbook. “I’m confident we’ll be able to get our work done. But I would not be at all surprised if much of the committee work happens virtually.”
On Wednesday, lawmakers are expected to adjust language on legislation that would change the deadline for getting petitions signed for the state’s June primary. Democratic lawmakers who control both houses and the governor’s office want to allow for 60 days to acquire signatures instead of 90 days. The filing deadline would be March 14. […]
For Gov. JB Pritzker, the “No. 1 priority” of the session “is balancing our budget, making sure that we’re doing the right thing to put our state on firm fiscal footing, to continue to get credit upgrades as we have, and to make sure that we’re providing the services that people need,” he told reporters at last week.
House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch echoed that in an interview with Playbook, saying, “We want to build on last year’s success.” Lawmakers this year will also weigh how best to spend another portion of federal American Rescue Plan dollars “to help people deal with the everyday issues that they’re facing, like paying rent, paying mortgages and keeping a roof over their heads or saving their businesses,” he said.
The goal is to avoid creating new programs that will then be unfunded after the federal money runs out. Instead, Democrats want to see federal monies available over the next three years to be spent on “one-time expenditures that can help bend the curve on a complicated, difficult issue or bolster our economic fundamentals,” Harmon said.
